Does anyone opt not to eat in the MDR during the entire cruise??

[Bakincakes]

We're eating in the MDR less and less...its begun to feel more like eating in a diner...sea days we will "graze" and will get room service...port days we generally scout out favorite restaurants in ports we've visited before..or discover new ones in ports new to us...and then eat something light in the evenings. Or we go to a specialty and have enjoyed some really great meals.

 

Wj is OK for breakfast...or to grab a snack.

 

We prepay gratuities...and inform our MDR wait staff if we will be absent. We generally have a table for two so we aren't inconveniencing tablemates.

[temple1]

We skipped the MDR on one 3 night cruise. We always sign up for MTD to give us the option of the MDR or not. I like doing MTD because we are not taking up a seat in the main dining room and leaving a table for 6 with 2 or 3 people. Been there, awkward.

 

In the WJ we are able to find something we like and have a pretty good dinner, not the same as the main dining room, but adequate for a quick get away cruise. I look at it like a short land vacation that is to get out of town for a few days without all the frills. One thing I read a lot on these boards is the wonderful service they receive in the WJ; from my experience, they must all be taking care of those folks because it has not been my experience.

[maxxedout2]

We HATE the MDR and only go there when someone we're traveling with insists or on formal night. Dinner is just such a production and most nights we would rather just eat and move on to the next activity.

 

FYI: We book MTD and prepay gratuity. Having a set time for dinner and then not showing up would be rude to our tablemates and it's nice to not have to worry about gratuities at all!

 

+1.......Agree.

 

Last cruise...they gave us MTD, but we never went to MDR. :(

On the plus side....all tips were paid...so one less thing to

worry about...:D

 

On ships with Portofino or Chops..we usually do them several nights.

[masterbaker]

Add us to the folks that rarely use the MDR. We just put gratuities on our sea pass and eat wherever and whenever we prefer each day. I don't think we've had dinner at all in the MDR on our last 5-6 cruises. Sometimes we have lunch in there on a sea day, but that's as close as we have been for quite a while. Guest Relations has assured me that the waiters ect. in the MDR get their gratuities without envelopes and vouchers and I'm trusting they are right.

[crazy 4 cruising]

Just an FYI. If you prepay your gratuities and elect not to eat in the MDR nor eat in MTD, your gratuities are pooled and divided between WJ waiters along with Specialty Restaurant waiters.

 

Patti-I am so glad to hear that the $ goes in to a pool. I, mistakenly, thought the period they worked in the WJ for dinner they did not get grats (I was told that by one of them awhile ago, so hopefully it changed). We do MTD, but rarely go to MDR anymore.

 

I'm so glad that I had the wrong idea about the WJ folks and their grats.

 

 

On our recent cruise on the Oasis, we had MTD (which we had done on the Freedom and loved it). On the Oasis, it was very disorganized and service was slow and inconsistent. .

 

We did MTD on ALlure and it was terrible.We only went 2 nights, the formal nights and it appeared that they were not at all prepared for the crowd.

[Debde]

Just an FYI. If you prepay your gratuities and elect not to eat in the MDR nor eat in MTD, your gratuities are pooled and divided between WJ waiters along with Specialty Restaurant waiters.

 

Love that they are doing this but to add another question:

Why not allow you to choose this option when booking your cruise so at the start of your cruise, you do not have to release your table??

I'd love to not have to pick a time or MTD. This way, all options are mine with no one expecting me anywhere nor have to stand on line to release my table!!

[BGCruiser85]

Wow, based on the replies to this thread I'm surprised the MDR is not empty! Sounds like a lot of people just aren't into it. To each their own. I'll be thouroughly enjoying it in 53 days on the Allure!

[welshrich]

it can also depend on your table mates, we've had great ones in the past and gone to the MDR even on a night when the menu has not been that great and we might have skipped it, other times if we don't seem to have a lot in common with them we tell them we don't come that often (very politely as I would hate to offend anyone) and also let the waiting staff know, then if we go there every couple of days there is at least some coversation, on our last cruise we were on a 12 up and there were 4 of us, when we sailed Oasis we thought we struck lucky on a 2 up but turned out to have the most miserable waiter ever who just wanted to concentrate on the larger tables in his section.

[kyriecat]

The various dining scenarios have really left me torn on what to do for dinner. In the past, my husband and I have really enjoyed late traditional seating. We have had several enjoyable dinners with strangers who became friends by the end of the cruise.

 

However, the growing number of specialty restaurants and addition of open seating have left people less likely to pariticipate in the traditional dining experience. I admit that I enjoy a specialty restaurant occasionally for a "date night" with my husband so we will skip the MDR for a night or two. However, it seems that many people are booking traditional dining but not showing up at all. On one cruise, we had a table for 8. One couple showed up twice in 10 nights. The other couples were together and showed up 5 of the nights. My husband and I showed up 8 nights, but were by ourselves at the table for 3 of them.

 

My husband and I took a 4-night cruise in December. Since it was a short cruise and we knew that we would eat in a specialty restaurant at least once, we decided to do MTD. We never ate in the MDR at all - 1 night Chops, 1 night Portofino, 1 night JR, and 1 night WJ. It worked out well, although we missed meeting people during dinner.

 

On my last cruise, I was with extended family and we couldn't agree on a dining time so again took MTD. I actually ate in the MDR that time but didn't care for it! The staff was extremely pushy about making a reservation for each night. I also didn't care for having different waiters almost every evening. They seemed more impersonal than on previous cruises. Dinner seemed very rushed - I barely had time to finish my appetizer before the entree was there. I know the waiters get tips based on how many people they get seated at their tables. I don't need a 2 hour meal, but I like a little digestion time between courses. It felt like the waiters wanted to get us fed and out so they could turn over the table.

 

Next cruise I'm doing MTD again. We're in port late on 5 nights so hubby and I will probably eat in port those nights to sample the local cuisine. I know that we'll eat in specialty restaurants another night or two. Since it's a 12 night cruise, it doesn't seem right to hold places for us in traditional seating when we won't show up at least half the time. We might not go to the dining room at all if the experience is rushed.

[crazy 4 cruising]

Love that they are doing this but to add another question:

Why not allow you to choose this option when booking your cruise so at the start of your cruise, you do not have to release your table??

I'd love to not have to pick a time or MTD. This way, all options are mine with no one expecting me anywhere nor have to stand on line to release my table!!

 

I have actually put this suggestion on my survey for the last several cruises.

[masterbaker]

Love that they are doing this but to add another question:

Why not allow you to choose this option when booking your cruise so at the start of your cruise, you do not have to release your table??

I'd love to not have to pick a time or MTD. This way, all options are mine with no one expecting me anywhere nor have to stand on line to release my table!!

 

No need to stand in line. With a simple phone call to the Maitre'D you can release your table.

[cruisenfever]

No need to stand in line. With a simple phone call to the Maitre'D you can release your table.

You don't need to call the Maitre 'd. There is a special MTD extension number that you will find at the MTD reservation's desk. This is the number we called when we knew we weren't coming on any particular evening.

 

If you have made reservations at a Specialty Restaurant, then you do not have to call MTD to release your table. Since all reservations are made by stateroom number, your stateroom number will appear on the MTD screen and will let them know that you won't using your table.

[masterbaker]

You don't need to call the Maitre 'd. There is a special MTD extension number that you will find at the MTD reservation's desk. This is the number we called when we knew we weren't coming on any particular evening.

 

If you have made reservations at a Specialty Restaurant, then you do not have to call MTD to release your table. Since all reservations are made by stateroom number, your stateroom number will appear on the MTD screen and will let them know that you won't using your table.

 

The person I was answering didn't want to choose MTD. (Some of us would rather put gratuities on our onboard account rather than pay them in advance)

[PH8]

Just an FYI. If you prepay your gratuities and elect not to eat in the MDR nor eat in MTD, your gratuities are pooled and divided between WJ waiters along with Specialty Restaurant waiters.

Since you mentioned this,I got to thinking............I always knew the prepaid tips went to the WJ staff,but it also goes to the speciality restaurants??

 

I thought that the $20(or however how much it is now) charge for Portofino/Chops/etc WAS the tip(People on here have argued that point for years)...........just for the record,we always tip on top of that.........sooooooo do I tip if I prepaid(I know I will.......would feel uncomfortable not).....but is that double or triple tipping??:confused:

[Debde]

Just an FYI. If you prepay your gratuities and elect not to eat in the MDR nor eat in MTD, your gratuities are pooled and divided between WJ waiters along with Specialty Restaurant waiters.

 

Since you mentioned this,I got to thinking............I always knew the prepaid tips went to the WJ staff,

 

I'm wondering why, with all the tip threads that get heated, no one ever said this about the WJ.:confused: So many people do not partake in the MDR and do like WJ and this would of answered many folks questions and addressed any concerns they had about the WJ staff.

[PH8]

Looks like they have re-worded it..........the cover charge is not for gratuities,except for the special dinners..But still I ask........am I supposed to add a tip in Chops when I have prepaid?? (I will.........but just wondering your thoughts on this)

 

 

How much does Chops Grille, Portofino, Mystery Dinner Theater and the Portofino Wine Dinner Series cost?

 

 

A: Chops Grille has a cover charge of $30 USD per person which includes a complete four-course meal. Specialty beverages, beer, wine and soft drinks are offered at current menu prices.

 

Portofino has a cover charge of $20 USD per person which includes a complete four-course meal. Specialty beverages, beer, wine and soft drinks are offered at current menu prices.

 

The Portofino Wine Dinner Series is a cost of $54.50 USD per person, inclusive of dinner, gratuity, wine and water with dinner and specialty coffees. Specialty beverages, beer, wine and soft drinks are offered at current menu prices.

 

Mystery Dinner Theater is a cost of $49.50 USD per person, inclusive of dinner, gratuity, champagne & hors d'oeuvre reception upon arrival, wine and water with dinner and specialty coffees. Specialty beverages, beer, wine and soft drinks are offered at current menu prices.

[missbogota]

It has been 5 yrs since we ate in MDR. We prepay gratuities and eat in specialty restaurants or WJ. No more formal wear as well! Once we stopped both, it was amazing to see how much more we enjoyed cruising! It is so nice that they have options for everyone!

[Debde]

Looks like they have re-worded it..........the cover charge is not for gratuities,except for the special dinners..But still I ask........am I supposed to add a tip in Chops when I have prepaid?? (I will.........but just wondering your thoughts on this).

 

And this is why so people can not grasp the concept of pre-paying tips as no one really knows who they go to.

All along so many have been saying that the $20 is the tip and no need to leave extra. Seems they may have been very wrong. I read this as you do need to tip. No problem as I don't pre-pay.

[atb]

DH absolutely HATES :mad: buffets. We do hit the WJ for lunch, but do dining room for breakfast and dinner.

[CruzieSue]

Hubby and I just took our first cruise this past March. We had the first two evening meals (one of them formal night) and one breakfast in the MDR and decided that type of dining is just not our thing. :rolleyes: No, we're not rednecks or uncouth or heathens :eek: but on VACATION to relax and be comfortable!!! :D We were very pleased with the Windjammer and Johnny Rockets and being able to choose when and where we wanted to eat. Next cruise (March 2013 :D) not only will we save a lot of time by not getting dressed up and then sitting around and waiting on the slow pace in the MDR, thus giving us more time to do our thing, but we will also save a LOT of room in our luggage with no formal attire taking up space !!! :)

[ryano]

All along so many have been saying that the $20 is the tip and no need to leave extra. .

 

Nah, not so many. Just one really and she keeps on and on and on even after being corrected MANY times :o

[Puffinater]

Nah, not so many. Just one really and she keeps on and on and on even after being corrected MANY times :o

 

Oh? I wonder who that would be? hahahahaha

[Debde]

You guys are too funny!!!! :D

[kyriecat]

I think some of the confusion about the specialty restaurant gratuities is Royal Caribbean's website used to say the cover charge includes gratuities. It never said how much of the cover charge was the gratuity so diners were not sure whether is was $1 or most of the cover charge. It was to determine whether or not to add anything extra.

 

RC's website no longer says the cover charge for Chops, Portofino, and some other specialties includes the gratuities. However, Izumi, Rita's Cantina, & Mystery Dinner all say that gratuities are included.

 

I saw a post earlier (thought it was on this thread but must have been another tipping thread) that RC tracks where you eat and gives your pre-paid tips to the specialty restarant or WJ waiters for the nights that you eat in those venues.

[cruisenfever]

Since you mentioned this,I got to thinking............I always knew the prepaid tips went to the WJ staff,but it also goes to the speciality restaurants??

 

I thought that the $20(or however how much it is now) charge for Portofino/Chops/etc WAS the tip(People on here have argued that point for years)...........just for the record,we always tip on top of that.........sooooooo do I tip if I prepaid(I know I will.......would feel uncomfortable not).....but is that double or triple tipping??:confused:

A very small percentage of the cover charge for any Specialty Restaurant goes towards gratuity.

 

I'm wondering why, with all the tip threads that get heated, no one ever said this about the WJ.:confused: So many people do not partake in the MDR and do like WJ and this would of answered many folks questions and addressed any concerns they had about the WJ staff.

I just found this information out while we were on Radiance last May. And I specifically asked the question from 2 people that I knew would give me correct information and not sugar coat it.

 

I've tried to post it whenever the question comes up. But with all the tipping threads it really is hard to keep up.:p:o